❌ “Getting an injury is just a part of running.”
❌ “Run enough miles and you’re likely to get hurt.”
These 2 concepts I hear frustrate me immensely! 😡
Incidence of running-related injuries has been documented anywhere between 19-92%. This is unacceptable and I want to change that.
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- Why do people get hurt with running so often? To me it boils down to 3 main categories:
Not following smart training principles - Inadequate strength and stability for the task (distance or intensity)
- Traumatic injuries – not what I’m going to address
- Why do people get hurt with running so often? To me it boils down to 3 main categories:
In this blog, I’ll cover the first one and the second point in the next blog.
➡️ Runners training on their own, following their friend’s plan, or using a stock plan may make judgment errors in their training by adding:
🚫Too many miles too quickly (ever waited too long to start training for that race you signed up for??)
🚫Speed work that’s too challenging for their current fitness level (gotta keep up with your friend or want that PR??)
🚫Too much combined mileage and intensity at the same time (gotta beat your friend or any of the above??)
🚫A training plan that’s too advanced for their current fitness (who doesn’t set unrealistic goals sometimes?)
➡️ Runners who don’t follow their coach’s plan can end up hurt. Runners, “trust the process” but also communicate to your coach if you’re hurt, sick, or want to do more or less. Coaches aren’t psychic! Athlete feedback is key to your success!
➡️ Runners training with coaches who consistently push them above their abilities often end up hurt. Not all coaches:
🚫follow smart training principles
🚫understand the art & science of training & coaching
🚫understand pain and when to push through it and when to back off
🚫understand the psychology of different athletes’ mindsets and motivations
🚫listen to their athletes who say something hurts and tell athletes “to suck it up” and do a workout anyway
🚫are very approachable, so athletes don’t feel like they can express their concerns
Just like in ANY profession, there are good, bad and ugly in terms of the coaches out there. If you have a coach who is helping you meet your goals and you’re staying injury-free, that’s awesome! If you don’t, I’m sorry. Not all coaches are the same.
🤪 If you’re taking the same approach to training (or sticking with the same coach and you’ve had repeated injury cycles with them), consider the definition of insanity (“doing the same thing over and over expecting different results”). It may be time to try something different!
